Near Tragedy to Traffic Triumph: Prince George County’s Last Line of Defense

Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation (PGC DPW&T) is the first public agency we have ever worked with and one of our earliest adopters. Over the past 5 years, we have worked closely with Department Head Ed Jones and his team to provide a fleet of Traffic Pro Beds (TPB) for all the districts of Prince George’s County. All equipped to provide a system that will maximize his employee’s work efficiency and on-the-job safety. That’s why we didn’t waste so much as a second when Ed called to tell us that a near tragedy had just struck one of their work zones and TPBs.

In August 2021 a tractor-trailer lost control on an exit ramp, entering a manned PGC DPW&T work zone; striking the rear bumper of their TPB. The TPB held firm against the collision, absorbing and deflecting the shock of the impact, and thoroughly stopping the tractor-trailer from further breaching the work zone. All personnel walked away alive and uninjured. Following the incident Jones had this to say: “We got our money's worth. (It) took the shock, I believe it kept our people safe.” Though the MOT truck bed responded just as designed and everyone involved fortunately went home unscathed that day, it was clear to us and Jones that there was more we could do.

Together we developed the Last Line of Defense. This simple, yet powerful addition is a small (50mph) MASH TMA directly mounted to the service vehicle. In this case, a class 5 traffic cone truck. 

This is not a TMA or crash attenuator truck. This one-of-a-kind concept provides a Last Line of Defense for a work zone and its MOT employees in the incident of a work zone crash. Though this is not a crash attenuator truck and does not fulfill such requirements or replace the need for an attenuator truck, having this 50mph truck-mounted attenuator will dramatically reduce the impact and consequences of a work zone collision and likely work zone fatalities. 

Additionally, this configuration offers our signature patented OSHA-compliant Employee Safety Unit (ESU), fold-down aluminum stake fence, (Vermac) VMS board, Halo-lighting, and our employee safety-centered storage and organizational system.

Now, in preparation for the busy season of traffic control, road construction, and travel, PGC DPW&T has two MOT trucks equipped with the Last Line of Defense system and several other TPB traffic control trucks in their fleet. It’s a long and ever-winding road ahead. But with the recent release of this Last Line of Defense, we are more optimistic than ever for traffic employee safety. Hopefully, we’re beginning to turn the corner on work zone fatalities.